Shiva

Who is Shiva?

Shiva (Śiva — the auspicious one) is one of the principal deities of Hinduism and the Supreme Being in the Shaiva tradition. As part of the Trimurti — the Hindu trinity — Shiva holds the role of the Destroyer, completing the cosmic cycle of creation (Brahma), preservation (Vishnu), and dissolution (Shiva).

But to understand Shiva only as “the destroyer” is to miss the depth of his nature. In Shaivism, Shiva is Mahakala — the lord of time itself — who destroys only to create anew. His destruction is not negative but transformative: it dissolves what is old, decayed, or limiting so that new creation can emerge.

The Great Paradoxes of Shiva

Shiva is the deity of paradoxes. He is:

• The ascetic who renounces, yet the householder who marries
• The destroyer, yet the bestower of boons
• The terrifying (ugra) and the benevolent (shanta)
• The lord of death, yet the fountain of immortality (Mahamrityunjaya)

This embrace of paradox reflects the Hindu understanding that ultimate reality transcends all dualities.

Nataraja — Lord of the Cosmic Dance

The image of Nataraja — Shiva as the Cosmic Dancer — is among the most profound symbols in world religion. In the Ananda Tandava (the dance of bliss):

• The ring of fire represents the cosmos in constant flux
• The raised left leg represents liberation from the cycle of birth and death
• The trampled dwarf (Apasmara) represents the ego and ignorance
• The drum (damaru) beats the rhythm of creation
• The flame in the other hand represents destruction
• The abhaya mudra (raised right hand) says: “Fear not”

The physicist Fritjof Capra famously compared the Nataraja to the image of quantum fields — matter constantly dancing in and out of existence.

Maha Shivaratri

The Great Night of Shiva — observed in late winter — is Shiva’s most important festival. Devotees fast, stay awake through the night, perform abhisheka (ritual bathing of the Shivalinga with milk, honey, and water), and chant Om Namah Shivaya.

According to tradition, this night Shiva performs his cosmic dance, and the entire universe trembles with divine awareness.